Aboriginals in New Zealand

ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY

The Maori peoples in New Zealand are its First Nations and are named from the words Ma-Uri, meaning Children of Heaven.

Well known anthropologist and explorer Joseph Birdsell believed that Aboriginals located in New Zealand originally migrated from Egypton the continent of Africa eastward, and after reaching the western part of the Oceana region, took a northerly route. According to his theory, they settled north of Australia in what is now New Zealand. Their migratory route, as outlined by Birdsell, is shown on the map of the Southern Hemisphere and Aboriginal history provided by the University of Monash in Australia.

Other researchers (Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand) concluded that Maori women are genetically different from their men in ancestry, the women's DNA coming from mainland Southeast Asia perhaps 6,000 years ago. It looks like Melanesian men joined with them and some Southeast Asian men and traveled to New Zealand about 1,000 years ago; and, others suggest that they all likely mixed with Indigenous Peoples already there.

Interestingly, there is some research underway that is examining the question of whether these Southeast Asians, Melanesians, Polynesians, and Indigenous Peoples of New Zealand (from Africa or elsewhere) along the older timeline, as well as the Phoenicians, all boated to North America and became part of the genetic heritage of Native American Nations from California eastward.

POLYNESIAN DISCOVERERS

However, before Birdsell, a Polynesian from Hawaiki, named Kupe, found New Zealand in 950 AD. Kupe called the land Aotearoa, meaning the Land of the Long White Cloud. There is some evidence of Aboriginal peoples already there upon Kupe's landing and this supports Birdsell's Egypt/African migration ideas. The Smithsonian Institution's DNA tracking and human migration project seeks to link blood types and sub types among global peoples to, among other things, settle the score on the migrations of all peoples around the world as far back into antiquity as possible.

New Zealand indigenous Maori history has been held only in epic-length, stylized songs and chantingsthat were memorized and handed down through the generations. The use of these oral histories is very specific and very complex. It entails a specific etiquette. including aggressive and explosive verbal greetings - the haka or war chant - and the wero, which is a challenge. It recalls the oral recitations necessary among an alien race in the film Enemy Mine, starring Roy Gossett Jr.

Around 1350 AD, many people from Polynesian Hawaiki imigrated to New Zealand, based on Kupe's reports and maps from 950 AD.

The resulting intermix of peoples formed tribes (nations called Iwi) and sub-tribes (bands) called Hapu. Smaller communities are known as Whanau. Maori Tribes have been distinguished each by its own particular style of canoe and the unique craftsmanship and artwork on them. In this respect, the Maori are like the First Nations peoples of the Pacific Northwest of Canada and USA.

At least one of the Maori bands was cannibalistic and lived in the Queen Charlotte Sounds region. Maori tribes and sub-tribes battled over land when they were hunters and agriculturalists, if anything, and they occasionally took the losers in battle as slaves. Sometimes, the losers were beheaded and the heads kept as a symbol of power by the victorious group; however, only one group likely ate its losers to gain their power. This is similar to some previous groups in parts of Africa.

Most Iwi in antiquity were composed of three classes: nobility, priesthood, and slaves. Land was owned by the whole Iwi or Hapu together and in the center of each village was a place reserved for the Spirit Ancestors to reside. In preserving Spirit Ancestors, the Maori are like the Australian Aboriginals.

Further, ala Birdsell, it was thought that the African Group that split in two, to the north and south at Oceana, each or both migrated further to New Zealand and Tasmania, and then to other islands.

The Human Migration Project and DNA tracking by partners National Geograpphic, The Smithsonian, and IBM shows through DNA tracking analysis that human migration was completely west to east. That is, Africans migrated to Australia, later up to New Guinea. and later to New Zealand and form there to the islands to the east and northeast inthe Pacific Ocean.

There seems to be a controversy over the historical records and oral traditions related to Kupe from Hawiki having discovered New Zealand so-to-speak for Polynesians that later reportedly migrated to that island nation.

Able Tasman is recorded as the earliest European to find New Zealand, by ship in the mid-17th century. He arrived from Holland to the New Zealand western coastal areas, found the land unihabitable, as had other Dutch in western Australia, and left the region.

Captain James Cook arrived from Englandover 100 years later in 1769 (18th century). He claimed the land for the British Crown, but was attacked by the Maori before he left and lost some sailors in these battles. After this period of exploration, many other European explorers merchants entered New Zealand to search for gold and other resources. The Maoris were involved in inter-tribal wars at this time as well as in resisting European invasion and this resulted in a various forms of frequent violence.

Conflicts continued until 1840. In that year the Marois signed the Treaty of Waitangi, giving up their national sovereignty to the British Crown to become a colony, in exchange for protection and guaranteed ownership of traditional Maori lands. Unfortunately, the Europeans did not abide by the treaty and war ensued in 1860, resulting in the loss of many Maori lives.

At the end of the 19th century, gold was dicovered and sheep ranching had taken hold to bring prosperity to New Zealand. In the light of these successes, the goverment enacted human rights reforms that included the women's vote, social security, trade unions, and child care services for all. New Zealand become increasing independent until declared a sovereign nation in 1947.

Maoritanga, the culture and the people of the Marois, began to increase from the early 1900 to the 21st century. In 1985, the Treaty of Waitangi was revised and reparations were paid to the Maoris for injustices done by Euopeans.

However, there have been some problems with defining what constitutes an appropriate amount for reparations and some Maoris continue to protest inequities.

Elder Mac Wirema Korako Ruka belongs to the Waitaha Maoris of new Zealand, a nation that traces its lineage through the women in the family. Such a system is called matrilineage. Elder Ruka is the grandson of a Matriarch (like a queen) and states that his whole life of performing ceremonies dates back 500,000 years. Waitaha is a Maori word that means, water carriers.

Jim Elder Yellow Horse Man, a Cherokee medicine man, traveled through New Zealand with Elder Ruka and worked with him. This is the first working partner that Elder Ruka ever took and he did so after an elderly Cree woman from Canada told Maki Ruka about a dream she had had about him working with a man. The woman had met Jim and then Maki Ruka. She told Elder Ruka of the dream and then related it to Jim. Jim and Maki Ruka then met and found that they had all of the same prophecies given to them independently.

Elder Ruka was initiated into a type of priesthood by his tribal elders at the age of only three. This process was similar to that of choosing a new Dalai Llama for Tibet, but with unique Maori specifications.

Elder Ruka was chosen as an adult by the United Nations as one of just seven spiritual elders globally to announce to the world the ancient prophecies of their cultures. Elder Ruka met with other spiritual leaders that included Pope John Paul II, the Dali Lama, and Mother Theresa, among others. He spoke at gatherings in South America at Machu Picchu, in Israel, and in India, China, and Russia.

BACK TO EGPYT, THE POSSIBLE ORIGIN

Elder Maki Ruka also spoke and performed a significant ceremony in Egypt, from where sceintist Joseph Birdsell claimed that the Maoris originated, migrating southeast to Oceana and then taking a northern rout to New Zealand.

Elder Raku performed The Unveiling of the Goddess, in order to introduce his cultural perspective of matrilineage and divine Matriarchy to Egypt.

PROPHECIES, ELDER MAKI RUKA, 1997

--from Manataka American Indian Council.

We see great changes in the weather. We see water upon water upon water. The changing of the climate of the great mother earth, and the shifting. The coming of the Millennium, the year 2000, we see the changes in the structures of government. The fall of the monetary system. We see a time of beauty. We are living in the time of chaos, technology, where technology has left man behind. This is the sad part. Technology is leaving us so far behind. Billions and Billions of dollars to create one plane. This money could feed thousands of children's in many, many countries.